quicken
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
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to become more active, sensitive, etc..
This drug causes the pulse to quicken.
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to become alive; receive life.
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(of the mother) to enter that stage of pregnancy in which the fetus gives indications of life.
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(of a fetus in the womb) to begin to manifest signs of life.
verb
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to make or become faster; accelerate
he quickened his walk
her heartbeat quickened with excitement
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to impart to or receive vigour, enthusiasm, etc; stimulate or be stimulated
science quickens man's imagination
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to make or become alive; revive
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(of an unborn fetus) to begin to show signs of life
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(of a pregnant woman) to reach the stage of pregnancy at which movements of the fetus can be felt
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Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of quicken
First recorded in 1250–1300, quicken is from the Middle English word quikenen. See quick, -en 1
Explanation
When things quicken, they speed up or make something go faster. If you're late for school, you should probably quicken your pace. Your heartbeat probably quickens when you're afraid or after you've been running fast, and you could also say that your curiosity quickens (or increases) when you overhear a mysterious phone call. The oldest meaning of quicken, however, is "come to life," a definition which sounds very old fashioned now, but which was once used to describe an advanced stage of pregnancy: "The fetus began to quicken."
Vocabulary lists containing quicken
Scrabble: Words that Begin with Q
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Tolkien Reading Day, List 9
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"What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?" Vocabulary from the speech
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For comparison, Quicken Loans, which does a similar volume of Federal Housing Administration mortgages as D.R.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 13, 2025
Recently, we’ve committed to paying off our debt—together—I’ve requested visibility into his Quicken to determine historical spending as we determine a budget… And he refuses, claiming historical spending offers no insights for determining a budget.
From Slate • Aug. 10, 2023
Ishbia’s company went public in January 2021 and is a rival to Quicken Loans — the company that has Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert as its founder and chairman.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 6, 2023
He suggests reviewing your expenses, establishing an emergency fund and using a personal finance management application such as Quicken to keep track of your spending.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 29, 2022
They both set out at once, and as they travelled with speed, they soon reached the plain on which stood the Palace of the Quicken Trees; and now the night was darkening around them.
From Old Celtic Romances by Unknown
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
